Process of packaging dehydrated molasses



Patented Nov. 9, 1943 PROCESS OF PACKAGING DEHYDRATED' MOLASSES Lyman Chalkley, Point Pleasant, N. L, assignor to Government of the United States, as represented by the Executive Director of the Office of Economic Warfare No Drawing. Application May 4, 1943, Serial No. 485,615

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 0. G. 757) 3 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon in accordance with the provisions of the act of April 30, 1928 (Ch. 460, 45 Stat. L. 467) My invention relates to the packaging of hydroscopic materials for shipment and storage, and particularly to the packaging of sugar cane molasses in solid form and to an article of manufacture comprising solidified molasses molded inside of a moisture-proof bag.

In tropical countries and islands which produce crude cane sugar for export, large quantitles of sugar cane molasses are produced which heretofore have been transported in ships provided with tanks for molasses syrup to countries where it has been used in the manufacture of cattle feed, alcohol, and so forth. Due to the loss of tankers in the war and war needs for tankers for the carrying of gasolene, lubricating oils, and so forth, such molasses carrying ships are generally not now available. Drums or barrels for carrying molasses are probably not available in sufiicient quantities and also involve the return shipment of empty drums, with a corresponding waste of limited shipping space on such freight ships as may be obtained for this service, besides being inefficient and uncertain, because molasses in a barrel may work, creating excessive gas pressure within the container.

Attempts have been made to solidify molasses and to ship and store it as a solid. Reagents have been proposed to cause molasses to jell. Others have proposed to spray-dry or drum-dry it for packing in barrels or the like. Molasses has also been dried in a cake form, broken up and shipped in chunks.

The use of jelling agents not only increases the cost of the product, but adds to it a foreign material which may injuriously afiect the suitability for the end use to which it is to be put. This molasses jell, as well as the chunks of dried molasses, are also unsuited for bulk shipment because each form is extremely hydroscopic, making the storage and ocean shipment of molasses in these forms so difficult as to have prevented the general shipment of molasses in a solid form. The finely divided state of the spray-dried and drum-dried molasses presents a very large surface and because in this form the molasses is also hydroscopic, it must be packed in a moistureproof container, and it has been difiicult to find a container for these products which was sufliciently moisture proof to prevent the absorption of moisture, at a cost which is not excessive.

Molasses dried in solid blocks and wrapped in water-proof paper or other water-proof material may tear the wrapping due to the irregular shapes of the blocks, during handling, transporting and storing, thus admitting moist air to soften and even liquefy the solid cakes.

My invention overcomes these difficulties and makes possible the packaging of molasses in a dried form at a moderate cost, which can be handled and shipped efficiently, which may also be stored a reasonable time at a dockside, or at the point of receipt without material deterioration.

My method comprises the following steps:

Each of one or more molds or forms having a chamber of a suitable shape and size of a cake of solid molasses, preferably having no sharp corners, is lined with a strong moisture-proof bag.

Molasses is then dehydrated, preferably by heating at a temperature not over 300 F., until a sample solidifies on cooling below F.

The molten molasses is then poured into the open bags and allowed to cool and solidify,

The moisture-proof bags are then closed and sealed in any suitable way to exclude moisture, as with hot paraffin or like material.

When removed from the molds the solidified blocks will be of the size or sizes and weights best adapted for handling, transporting and storing.

The molasses and bag form an integral unit, thus the paper of the bag adheres to the block and is supported and strengthened by it. The block has no sharp corners or edges or other irregularities to tear or rip a paper covering while being handled or stored, or to press upon the paper of other packages and tear between blocks or at the edges of blocks which might be contained therein.

A convenient moisture-proof bag comprises a double wall kraft paper bag having a waterproofing coating of asphalt, parafiine or other suitable material between the two layers of paper on one or both layers. Another moisture-proof bag which may be used has bound between the two layers of kraft paper a third layer of waterproofing material, such as cellulose acetate, metal foil, or paper treated with a drying oil. A bag having a single wall of reinforced moistureproof Cellophane may also be used.

After a bag has been filled, the molasses is allowed to solidify, then the open top is closed by stitching or by clamps, clips, binding wire or otherwise, the closure is sealed with a parafiine,

resinous, or other water-proofing composition by any of the several known methods of effecting such water-proof closures: -The -forms are removed from the finished product.

The mold used may be made of wood or metal, of any convenient geometrical form for handling and stacking. The mold may have a cross-section which is, for example, square, rectangular,

hexagonal, octagonal or circular, and may be provided with means for accelerating cooling.

My packaged molasses can be easily liquefied for use by crushing or cutting open with an ax, and immersing it in water in a tank, when, because of its hydroscopicity, the molasses will rapidly dissolve and may be drained off of the bag.

In the operation of this process, I have found it satisfactory to heat the original blackstrap or invert molasses in open pans or kettles, the walls of which are raised to temperatures of from 250 F. to 275 F. The molasses is preferably stirred during the heating and a draft of air may be played over the surface to accelerate evaporation, or the molasses may be lifted into the air to increase the evaporating surface by means of discs, rollers, ladles or the like.

The process of producing my novel product may be varied if desired and is not to be construed as a limitation on any claim for my novel process and my new article of commerce.

What I claim is:

1. The process of packaging dehydrated molasses which comprises filling a. moisture-proof bag within a suitable mold with the molasses while hot, allowing the molasses to solidify while retained in the mold, and closing said bag with a moisture-proof seal.

2. The process of packaging dehydrated molasses which comprises lining a suitable mold with a bag having an inner lining adapted to adhere to hardened molasses, an outer protective layer and a layer of moisture-proof material intermediate said layers, filling said bag with molasses while softened by heating above normal atmospheric temperatures, allowing the molasses to solidify, and closing said bag with a moistureproof seal.

3. The process of packaging molasses which comprises dehydrating liquid molasses with the aid of heat, lining a mold with a strain-resisting moisture-proof bag, filling said bag with said heat softened molasses, allowing the molasses to solidify and closing said bag with a moistureproof seal.

LYMAN CHALKLEY. 

